BOTTLE SERVICEBOTTLE SERVICE
50 AUGUST 2019
MEDIUM-BODIED
& ELEGANT
With flavors typically leaning more
toward citrus than tropical fruit, these
Chardonnays walk a line between
Old World (i.e., Burgundian) and New
World (classic Californian) styles.
2017 VALRAVN SONOMA COUNTY
CHARDONNAY ($20)
A light touch of oak—it’s there, but it
lingers in the background—and fine-
tuned acidity help this vibrant Char-
donnay hover gracefully in the middle
of richer barrel-fermented styles and
the zing of cool-climate whites.
2017 SONOMA-CUTRER SONOMA
COAST CHARDONNAY ($23)
This bottling is perfect for anyone who
wants to bridge the gap separating
rich Chardonnays and more elegant
versions—in fact, I wavered on which
category to put it in. There’s toasty oak
here and plenty of ripe fruit, but vibrant
acidity gives the wine surprising lift.
2017 JORDAN CHARDONNAY ($34)
Jordan’s age-worthy Chardonnay (the
2011 is lovely right now) is classically
styled, but in a way that suggests the
strengths of both California and Bur-
gundy. Bright and crisp, its green-apple
notes are subtly shaded by French oak.
2016 RAMEY RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
CHARDONNAY ($42)
David Ramey is one of California’s
acknowledged masters of Chardonnay.
His single-vineyard bottlings are exqui-
site, and even his more widely available
regional wines, like this focused, pear-
scented bottling, have the ability to age
in a cellar for years.
2016 DUMOL WESTER REACH
CHARDONNAY ($50)
The top wine in a blind tasting of 17
Sonoma Chardonnays I participated in
recently in California, DuMol’s Wester
Reach is savory and complex, its firm
acidity highlighting its exotic citrus
(think yuzu), tree fruit (white peach),
and spice flavors.
